New Test coach Stephen Fleming said he shared English cricket’s “obsession” with the Ashes and arrives with the goal to “beat the Aussies”.
Fleming was speaking to the media for the first time since being appointed in July and ahead of taking charge for the tour of South Africa in December.
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Like his predecessor Brendon McCullum, Fleming is from New Zealand, the “little cousin” to Australia, in his words.
The next Ashes series is in the UK next summer, when England will look to defeat the Australians for the first time since 2015 and avenge a dismal 4-1 defeat down under last winter.
Asked if England are too obsessed with beating Australia, Fleming told BBC Sport: “No, because I have an obsession with it as well. New Zealand has an obsession with it, we love it.
“We want to beat the Aussies. We’re heavily linked to England performances. We have a deep desire to beat Australia in everything, as the little cousin. We are linked, and I’m incredibly excited about being part of it.
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“You don’t think you’re ever going to get that opportunity. To have that opportunity and be part of it, I can’t wait.
“I want to be my best self and have a team that represents itself in the best possible way. I’ve got a vision of that and it’s aspirational. It will be brilliant.”
Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, did not taste victory in any of the 14 Tests he played against Australia.
He succeeds his former team-mate McCullum, who was sacked as Test coach earlier this summer, but remains as boss of the white-ball team. England won only two of McCullum’s final 10 Tests in charge, including the hammering in Australia.
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Part of the criticism of England under McCullum and former captain Ben Stokes was their inability to adapt to the changing situations of Test cricket, as well as a lack of attention to detail.
Fleming is a great friend of McCullum – the pair are business partners. He described the difference between the two as being: “I’ll bet on the favourite and he’ll bet on the longest odds possible.”
On whether a Test team should have a brand or style, Fleming said: “I don’t think so. The greatest thing for a team to do is to be able to play conditions and situations.
“I’d love people to say we are well-planned, there’s a discipline and a really strong basic structure to what we’re doing, but there’s also a bit of flair.”
Stephen Fleming, left, and Brendon McCullum, right, played 32 Tests together between 2004 and 2008 [Getty Images]
The final months of McCullum’s reign were dogged by late-night drinking controversies, which continued after England changed the Test coach.
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On Friday, Derbyshire Police announced they had closed an investigation involving England pace bowler Brydon Carse following allegations of an assault last month.
Though Carse will face no action from the police, he now faces an investigation from the Cricket Regulator.
He remains available for England selection, albeit has not been part of a squad in any format since the Derby incident.
“There are standards,” said Fleming. “We pick on runs and wickets primarily, but I think it’s foolish not to also say there are standards that need to be set.
“You need to behave in accordance with your position. We’re in a very privileged position, and it’s understanding that privilege and what goes along with it. It can’t be convenient. You can’t be when it suits you to do the right things, then when you don’t want it to suit you, not.
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“You’ve got to live it every day. If we can create something when you want to live it every day and better, then that’s really powerful.”
Fleming was at Old Trafford for England’s defeat of Sri Lanka in the third T20 on Saturday. Earlier in the week he visited a number of counties and met Stokes during Durham’s draw against Worcestershire.
Stokes abruptly retired from international cricket in July and has a previous relationship with Fleming from their time together with Chennai Super Kings at the Indian Premier League.
But Fleming said he had too much “respect” for Stokes’ decision to attempt to coax him out of retirement.
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“He was in a great space, really happy, enjoying his time with Durham,” said Fleming.
“He’s got a good winter planned with the family and is very much at peace with his decision. When a player makes that decision to retire, I respect that decision 100%.
“To try to turn that around and question that is wrong. I know how much goes into that type of decision, and I respect that.”
‘Flemball is a medical condition’ – analysis
Almost two months after being appointed Test coach, Stephen Fleming outlined what the England team may look like under his stewardship.
He was calm, measured and authoritative, perhaps showing he is exactly the sort of leader England need after a chaotic period on and off the pitch.
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There were also signs of Fleming’s character and sense of humour. He joked he has a “stress fracture of the left ear” after all the phone calls he has had with those connected with the England team, then laughed about occasionally turning up in fancy dress to relax the environment of his Chennai Super Kings team.
Most revealing was the description of his relationship with Brendon McCullum – “I’ll bet on the favourite and he’ll bet on the longest odds possible”. There were plenty of times during McCullum’s reign as Test coach where those long-odds bets were placed, while Fleming seems much more likely to play the percentages.
The two are great friends, which should help with a split-coaching dynamic that has not always served England well in the past. “Big brother” was one way the Fleming-McCullum dynamic was referred to, and there was a sense that England now have a grown-up in charge, following the freewheeling of McCullum.
Fleming covered a range of topics: he won’t try to persuade Ben Stokes to come out of retirement, he will give the World Test Championship a level of respect lacking from previous England teams, he explained he missed the Pakistan series because of family and commercial commitments.
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Fleming also addressed discipline and the late-night controversies that have dogged England in the past 12 months. Talk of “standards” may not be good news for Brydon Carse’s prospects of a swift return to the set-up.
And, of course, there was the question of “Flemball”, dismissed as a “medical condition”.
On this evidence, Fleming’s England will be more assured, mature and level than the team led by McCullum. Possibly less fun, too.
The most important thing is they win more, starting in South Africa in December.
